Petunia plant named ‘Dopetsurlibl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Dopetsurlibl’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and mounding to hanging plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large dark purple-colored flowers with darker purple-colored throats and venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia X hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPETSURLIBL’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instantplant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier,The Netherlands on Oct. 5, 2021, application number 2021/2505. Foreignpriority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/orApplicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior artexception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior tothe filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filingdate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia X hybrida and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Dopetsurlibl’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact, freely branching andearly-flowering Petunia plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2018 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selectionof Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT17-116038-004, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPetunia X hybrida identified as code number TT17-039105-004, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2021.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germanysince June, 2021 has shown that the unique features of this new Petuniaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dopetsurlibl’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Dopetsurlibl’ as a new and distinct Petuniaplant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and mounding to hanging plant        habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large dark purple-colored flowers with darker purple-colored        throats and venation.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differprimarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color asflowers of plants of the new Petunia are lighter blue in color thanflowers of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differprimarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color asflowers of plants of the new Petunia are more blue than flowers ofplants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia X hybrida‘Keiburtel’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of thenew Petunia and ‘Keiburtel’ differ primarily in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact than plants of        ‘Keiburtel’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have longer and narrower leaves        than plants of ‘Keiburtel’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Keiburtel’.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia are dark purple in color        whereas flowers of plants of ‘Keiburtel’ are dark purplish red        in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a top perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘Dopetsurlibl’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Dopetsurlibl’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in22-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production.During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were twelve weeks oldwhen the photographs were taken and 25 weeks old when the descriptionwas taken. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, exceptwhere general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia X hybrida ‘Dopetsurlibl’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X            hybrida identified as code number TT17-116038-004, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X            hybrida identified as code number TT17-039105-004, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 155B in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright and            mounding to hanging plant habit; freely branching habit with            about eight primary lateral branches each with about nine            secondary branches developing after pinching; moderately            vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 23.5            cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 74 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 52 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 6 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.        -   Texture and luster.—Pubescent; semi-glossy.        -   Color, developing and developed.—Close to 145A to 145B and            at the internodes, close to 144A to 144B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,            opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 5.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Spatulate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent;            leathery; semi-glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A; venation,            close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 143C; venation, close to 145B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong; firm. Texture and luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper            surface: Close to 145A. Color, lower surface: Close to 145B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually            about 400 flowers and flower buds developing per plant;            flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during            the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit,            plants typically beginning flowering about eleven weeks            after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three            days on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 6.5 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy.            Color: Close to 79A.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm by 5.7 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 5.6 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 8 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from            throat): About 2.8 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.7 cm. Petal            shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin:            Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Rippled, glabrous; semi-glossy. Throat            texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy. Tube texture and            luster: Rippled; semi-glossy. Color: Petal lobe, when            opening, upper surface: Close to 83A. Petal lobe, when            opening, lower surface: Close to N81A. Petal lobe, fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 83B; venation, close to 79A;            color becoming closer to N82A with subsequent development.            Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 83C;            venation, close to 79B; color becoming closer to N82B with            subsequent development. Flower throat: Close to 79A;            venation, close to 202A. Flower tube: Close to 83D;            venation, close to 138C.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a            tubular star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter:            About 3.4 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Rounded. Base: Decurrent.            Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 137C. When opening, lower surface: Close            to 137D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 143A. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 143B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 143B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 2 cm. Filament color: Close to 145D.            Anther length: About 1.8 mm Anther shape: Ovate. Anther            color: Close to 91B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:            Close to 98D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 1.9 cm. Style            color: Close to 145B and N81A. Stigma diameter: About            1.5 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 144A.            Ovary color: Close to 149A. Fruits: Quantity produced per            plant: About 120 during the flowering season. Length: About            6 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 164B. Seeds: Quantity per flower: About 180.            Length: About 0.2 mm. Diameter: About 0.2 mm. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200A.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain, temperatures    ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA    Hardiness Zone 11.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Petunia have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Petunia plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Dopetsurlibl’as illustrated and described.